Expedia search data shows South Lake Tahoe leading demand growth at 195%

Search interest for South Lake Tahoe, California grew +195% year over year, according to search data published by Expedia Group in its travel trends report. The figure leads the platform’s tracking of emerging destination demand across global flight and accommodation queries, pointing to clear shifts in how travel search volume concentrates ahead of future booking windows.

For operators and investors in the short-term rental market, destination search volume acts as a leading indicator of upcoming booking flow. While search volume does not guarantee a completed reservation, tracking percentage growth in destination queries helps property managers assess shifting consumer interest across coastal, mountain, and landlocked markets long before calendar fill rates reflect those movements.

How the metric works

Destination search metrics measure user query volume for flights, hotels, and vacation rentals on online travel agency platforms over specific time intervals. Instead of tracking completed transactions or nightly revenue, search indexes evaluate shifts in top-of-funnel consumer intent. When travelers enter geographical terms into booking engines, platforms record those queries to calculate percentage changes against historical baseline periods.

Tracking search growth provides early signals regarding market momentum. Destination demand indices capture consumer interest before guests commit capital or select specific properties. A surge in search queries indicates that a destination is entering the consideration phase for a larger pool of potential guests. Conversely, stagnant or declining search volume suggests that broader consumer attention is migrating toward competing geographies or alternate property types.

Short-term rental operators monitor these search benchmarks to evaluate local market exposure and adjust pricing algorithms. Because search volume precedes lead time and booking conversion, property managers use search velocity to anticipate seasonal demand surges, establish base rates, and allocate marketing budgets. For instance, Expedia reported that searches for Holbox, Mexico increased +45%, while Punta del Este, Uruguay recorded a +65% rise in query volume. In mountain and rural markets, Sedona, Arizona saw searches rise +55%, and Perugia, Italy recorded a +35% increase.

Search metrics also highlight shifts in regional demand density. When secondary or tertiary markets experience double-digit or triple-digit search growth, it signals that guest preferences may be dispersing away from primary urban corridors. Knowing whether search growth reflects broad destination interest or niche accommodation preference allows operators to tailor listing features, minimum stay length requirements, and promotional strategies to capture intent before local supply absorbs the incoming demand.

How it was measured

The figures reported by Expedia Group rely on first-party search data collected across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, combined with global traveler survey research conducted by market research firm OnePoll. Search growth metrics for Expedia’s destinations of the year reflect increases in flight and accommodation searches recorded from September 1, 2025, to July 27, 2026, compared against searches conducted from September 1, 2024, to July 27, 2025.

To assess destination sustainability and management, Expedia applied its Smart Travel Health Check framework, which aligns with World Travel & Tourism Council principles to identify locations managing tourism without overcrowding. Destinations recognized under this framework include Hyogo, Japan, which recorded a +95% search increase; Sedona, Arizona, up +55%; Busan, South Korea, up +50%; Perugia, Italy, up +35%; The Tweed, New South Wales, Australia, up +35%; and Chichester, U.K., up +30%. Additional destinations in the set include Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, which recorded a +35% search increase.

For vacation rental searches on Vrbo, growth figures for landlocked destinations reflect searches conducted from September 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026, compared with search activity between September 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025. Short-stay benchmarks on Hotels.com reflect searches for one-night stays with check-ins between Thursday and Sunday, recorded from September 1, 2025, to August 25, 2026, relative to the prior year period. Consumer survey metrics cited across the report derive from an online study conducted by OnePoll between August 4, 2026, and September 1, 2026, sampling 2,000 adult travelers in the UK planning travel within three years, alongside broader global survey panels cited by Expedia Group.

Regional search shifts

The search metrics reveal significant geographical diversification in short-term accommodation interest, particularly toward non-coastal and landlocked destinations. On Vrbo, vacation rental searches for Bentonville, Arkansas increased +140%, while searches for Deadwood, South Dakota rose +120%, and Lincoln, Nebraska expanded by +120%.

This shift corresponds with broader consumer survey findings on regional travel behavior. Vrbo research indicates that nearly 65% of travelers have visited non-coastal destinations in the past 12 months. According to survey responses, the leading motivation for visiting landlocked locations is interest in local culture, food, and art scenes, followed by a desire for exploration, smaller crowds, and affordability.

For property investors, high search velocity in non-coastal markets indicates expanding demand outside traditional seasonal beach and ski corridors. Smaller cities and college towns generate steady baseline query volume that reduces reliance on peak summer or winter travel windows. Tracking non-coastal search metrics enables operators to evaluate whether secondary markets possess sufficient search density to support new property listings or portfolio expansion.

Length of stay and property type demand

In addition to geographic shifts, search metrics capture structural changes in stay duration and property architectural styles. On Hotels.com, global searches for one-night stays increased nearly 10% year over year. Survey findings show that 79% of travelers plan to book a one-night stay in the coming year, a figure that rises to 83% among Gen Z and Millennial respondents.

Reasons for short-duration booking activity vary across traveler demographics. Global survey data indicates that travelers book one-night stays to celebrate a milestone (34%), see a show (32%), or reset between longer trips (28%). Among British respondents surveyed by OnePoll, 49% cite seeing a show as a primary driver for one-night stays, while 42% cite celebrating a milestone and 23% cite resetting between longer trips. Top searched urban markets for one-night stays include Las Vegas, U.S.; Montreal, Canada; London, U.K.; Tokyo, Japan; and Paris, France.

At the same time, specific property characteristics are driving filtered search behavior. Hotels.com reported that 56% of travelers have booked a hotel specifically for its atmosphere or aesthetic, rising to 71% among Gen Z and Millennial respondents. Global search demand for castle properties on Hotels.com increased 20% year over year. Among British travelers interested in Gothic-style accommodations, 51% cited historic properties or castles as their leading motivation, 41% cited folklore or legend, and 40% cited dramatic architecture and visual atmosphere.

Theme-driven and screen-driven booking drivers

Traveler search patterns are increasingly influenced by specialized activities and media exposure. Vrbo research shows that 68% of travelers report being likely to take a hobby-focused trip in 2027, with 38% stating that hobbies play a larger role in their travel planning compared to five years ago. Key motivations for booking hobby-centered accommodations include enjoying a hobby in a new setting (41%), spending time with people sharing similar interests (41%), and disconnecting from daily distractions (34%).

Similarly, leisure activity searches are lifting demand for theme park and nostalgic experiences. Expedia reported that 57% of travelers are likely to book an adult-focused play trip, termed Un-Adulting. Primary drivers globally include seeking a carefree day (69%), spending quality time with loved ones (64%), and taking a break from responsibilities (56%). Among British travelers, 74% cite having fun and enjoying a carefree day out, 64% cite time with loved ones, and 60% cite a break from daily responsibilities.

Entertainment releases represent another direct driver of search spikes. Expedia Group reports that nearly 1 in 5 travelers have booked a trip to a destination after seeing it featured in a TV show or movie. Furthermore, nearly half of surveyed travelers report proactively researching or booking trips to destinations from upcoming, unreleased media titles, increasing to 58% among Gen Z and Millennial respondents. For example, searches for Monaco on Expedia Group properties spiked by over 120% in the 30 days following confirmation that Emily in Paris Season 6 would film there. On social media, mentions of traveling to Miami increased 64% year over year, driven by news of an upcoming Miami Vice reboot.

What to watch

Property managers and rental investors should monitor specific operational indicators to capitalize on shifting search trends:

• Single-night minimum stay rules: Evaluate whether opening calendar gaps to single-night bookings increases occupancy, particularly in high-volume urban markets.
• Hobby and niche amenity integration: Audit property listings to highlight dedicated spaces for group activities, board games, crafting, or outdoor gear storage.
• Media and event tracking: Monitor upcoming film announcements and regional production schedules that could trigger localized search spikes.
• Secondary market supply growth: Track new listing active counts in emerging landlocked destinations like Bentonville, Deadwood, and Lincoln to ensure supply growth does not outpace local search conversion.